Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-07-21
LEE AT WEST POINT.
The Excitement OF the battery Drill at the
Military Academy

The Excitement OF the battery Drill at the
Military Academy.
OF all the drills and exercise, in
which the cadet excels, he is at his best
in those Of the mounted service. OAR
ing horsemen are the youngsters after
two years practice in the riding hall,
and light battery drill is famous place
for exhibition. Watch the boys as they
go to their stations. The seniors, in
their riding dress, gauntlets and cav
airy sabers. swing easily into the sad
dies Of the somewhat vicious-looking
steeds that are held in readiness for
them, adjust their stirrups, take pre-
liminary and surreptitious dig with
their spurred heels to test the mettle of
their nags, then clatter of to their posts
to look over the horses and drivers of
their detachments. The yearlings in
their natty shell jackets stand ready at
the guns; the bugle blares the signal
"cannoneers mount" and, like so
many agile monkeys, they spring to
their seats on the ammunition chests.
and with another bugle blast and rum
BILE of hoOf and wheel and clink of
trunnion, away goes the battery down
the gravelly plain. There are few
preliminary moves to warm them up to
their work; the battery commander. n
young artillery officer who knows his
trade, swings them to and fro, faster and
faster, from one formation to another
column. line and battery-and then,
as though ordered to check the advance
of an enemy swarming up the heights
and give HIM canister at short range,
with cracking whips and plunging
steeds and rattle and roar of hoof and
wheel, and hoarse-throated commands
and stirring bugle peals, up the plain
they come at tearing gallop until oppo-
site the crowd of spectators at the
guard tents, when there is a short,
sudden blast, a simultaneous shout
from the ''chiefs,'> vision of rearing
horses as the Lieutenants and
sergeants halt short on line
with the brilliant guidon-generally
the most picturesque hOrseman of
the warlike throng, and always posted
on the flank nearest the ladies-a flash
of sabers in the air, a sudden rein
in" OF the line of q. eaissons, and a
gradual settle down to stand, long
before which, nimble as cats, the cam
noneers have sprung from their seats,
and are streaking it across the gap to
where the chiefs are seated on their eX-
cited chargers. Around sweeps the
gun with sudden swirl that well nigh
capsizes them-the three youngsters on
each timber seemingly hanging on as
though seated on sticking plasters-
there is a rattle and bang of pintle-
hooks, hoarse shouts of Drive ON to
the gun teams; gray and white forms
leap and sway in and out among the
spOnges and hammers whirl in
the air; there is belch of flame, smoke
and thunder-cloud. believing roar;
another, another-half a dozen in quick
thick, sulphurous haze
settle down on the plain and envelops
guns and gunners, and suddenly comes
another blare of bugle. Cease firing
is the shout. and the mimic scene of
Buena Vista is over. Even before the
smoke has cleared away another
order is given, with prompt, exciting
response. plunging horses, cracking
whips, a rush of teams. lim6ers and
caissons between the black muzzles
of the guns; a sudden whirI about of
wheels and handspikes. and the next
instant smoke and flame are belching
IN thunder-claps over the very ground |
where stood the waiting teams only a |
before. Then comes still an
other signal, slowing away of hand
spikes and hammers, n rapid rein
about of the limber-teams, another
olare, and away they go, the white
egs of the cannoneers flashing in
'ace beside their bounding guns; a
.uSh across the road to the edge of
grassy level beyond, another sudden
vhirl into battery, a laundering salute
o the rocky heights to the west. an
,choing roar from the great column
,iads and PARROTS at the ''sea-coast"
Town by the Hudson, and the Point
airly trembles with the shock and con-
.ussion. There is no hour of the day
o match the excitement and elan of
hat of battery drill. Captain Charles
King, an HGrper's Magazine.